What Ethical Sourcing Actually Means in the Essential Oil Industry

Ethical sourcing is one of the most frequently used and least defined phrases in the natural products industry. Almost every brand claims it. Very few can demonstrate it. This article looks at what ethical sourcing actually means in the context of essential oil production and what questions to ask when evaluating a brand's claims.

Labour conditions

Essential oil production is labour-intensive, particularly for crops that are hand-harvested, such as rose, jasmine, and neroli. The workers who harvest these crops are often in developing countries where labour protections are weak. Genuine ethical sourcing requires knowledge of the labour conditions at the farm level, not just at the broker level.

Environmental practices

The environmental impact of essential oil production includes land use, water use, pesticide use, and the carbon footprint of distillation and transport. Some crops, such as sandalwood and rosewood, have been over-harvested to the point of endangerment. Ethical sourcing requires avoiding these species or sourcing only from certified sustainable operations.

Fair pricing

The price paid to producers is a meaningful indicator of ethical sourcing. Essential oils that are priced significantly below market rates are often produced under conditions that involve underpayment of workers or unsustainable harvesting practices. Genuine quality at a fair price to the producer is not compatible with the race-to-the-bottom pricing that characterises some segments of the market.

What we do

We work with suppliers who can provide documentation of their sourcing practices. We do not claim to have perfect visibility into every step of our supply chain, but we ask the questions and we do not accept suppliers who cannot answer them. We also accept that genuine ethical sourcing costs more, and we price our products accordingly.